It's Not a Competition!

I love to tell people "I"m always up for a challenge!"  When it's suitable for me to say that is.  And I truly am a person that is always up for a challenge, perhaps it is the competitiveness in me that makes it so or maybe it's the fact that I love the feeling of persevering through something difficult and coming out in the end with the proud feeling that I didn't stand down, which in a sense would make me masochistic- but lets leave that subject for another blog entirely.

I took a Vinyasa Flow class just recently, and found the Yogi's teaching style to be more geared towards toning and balance rather than relaxation or flexibility as some other classes are.  This particular practice proved to be the most difficult yoga practice I've had since starting, and of course "I'm always up for a challenge!"  There were a lot of tiring toning exercises and difficult balancing postures I had to Child Pose my way through but "I'm always up for a challenge!"  So naturally, if there is a pose that I even think I can possibly do- I try.

"Reverse Prayer Pose" the Yogi instructor announced, the students stood in mountain posture and took the  Reverse Prayer Pose, as did I.

In the midst of putting myself into the Reverse Prayer Pose I felt an instant burning and then a blast of pain go through my shoulders which had me doubled over holding my shoulders in an instant.  I quietly walked out of the classroom as best as I could without giving way to the embarrassment that I could not even do a Reverse Prayer.  I sat myself down on the bench in the women's dressing room, my hearing was going out, my vision darkening, nausea took hold of me and still my shoulders were in pain.  I put my head between my legs and breathed it out.

For 5-minutes I sat in the dressing room taking my time to have my shoulders feel better and myself as well.  The thought about not going back to practice crossed my mind, the pain had been excruciating but thankfully it was gone now.  I got up and went back into the practice.

The lesson I learned that day was, it is great to want to overcome a challenge, however one must know their limits.  While some forms of yoga can be easy for others it can very well be hard for some.  I've heard a Yogi say in class once, "don't push yourself too hard, do what you can", I believe that day I pushed myself too hard, in my quest to face a challenge I became competitive with myself and my abilities.  

And so I leave here saying to you what once the wise Yogi said, "don't push yourself too hard, do what you can" after all, it's not a competition.

Yoga Etiquette

When I enter the Yoga studio I immediately have the urge to speak in a whisper and tip toe around and when practice begins I feel as if it is only right to follow along at the pace of the Yogi.  These are only a couple of courtesy mannerisms I feel at the Yoga studio.  If you feel this way also, you are correct to, much like a library and driving on the road there are a few Yoga etiquettes you should follow when in the studio and during practice.  Being new to Yoga however I wasn't quite sure what the etiquettes were and found myself at times to be uncomfortable, afraid I was doing the wrong thing or being rude, so finally I decided to take action and look up Yoga etiquettes, this is what I found, I hope you find this information helpful as well.

*About.com
1.  Remove Your Shoes

Many yoga studios have a place for your shoes by the front door.  Since people will be walking around the studio barefoot, it is most hygienic if everyone takes off their outdoor shoes first thing.

2.  Turn Off Your Cell Phone

3.  Arrive On Time

Arrive at least 10 minutes before the class is scheduled to start.  If you do arrive late, don't enter a class more than 10 minutes late if it has already started.  Wait for the next class or another day.

4.  Respect the Teacher

You may discover halfway through the class that you don't care for this teacher, style, or hour of the day.  But you still should continue with the class, follow the teacher's instructions, take your Savasana, and chalk it up to experience.

5.  Keep Variations Appropriate

Keep in mind the level fo the class you are attending.  If it is an advanced class and some of the poses are too hard, it is fine to take a more basic variation of the poses being taught.  Usually the teacher will offer this option.  If you are attending a basic class, stick to the basic versions of the poses so you don't confuse new students.  The teacher will offer you the option to take a more advanced variation when appropriate.

When it comes time to take a vinyasa, always feel free to take either Knees, Chest, and Chine and Cobra or Chaturanga and Updog.

6.  Go to the Bathroom During Resting Poses

The best time to go is when there is a period of rest, either in Child's Pose or Downward Dog.

7.  Don't Skip Savasana!

Your final relaxation in Savasana is an important part of your practice.  Don't plan to leave class early.  If you must, tell the teacher in advance and take a short Savasana before you go.

The 3 Oms

The sound "Om" is pronounced more like "home" = hOMe (but without the 'H')

All yoga classes begin and end with either one or three "Oms".  Sitting legs crossed, palms together at the chest, heads down as if in prayer the Yogi will say a word or two and ask us to join, if we would like, in a collective "Om".  The "Oms" do sound great, resonating within the practice studio, but what does it mean?  And why "Om"?

*Yogajournal.com 

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions.  It is said to be the sound of the universe.  

Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us - that the entire universe is moving.  Nothing is ever solid or still.  Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om.  We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves- the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts.  As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on the universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

And now that you know the meaning behind "Om", now that I know the meaning behind the Oms, next time when I join to chant the Oms at the beginning and end of class I will do it with this new knowledge in mind, and I'm sure the Oms will be even sweeter to my energy and my spirit.

Mixing it up to my benefit

If you are practicing yoga at the studio 3x or more a week then you probably pay a flat rate and are welcome to any of the classes any of the time, this is also the plan I am currently on.  So I find myself attending all sorts of classes, level 1, level 2, Ashtanga, Restoratives, Iyengar, Viniyoga, all of which I find to be helpful depending on what my situation is for that week.  

The freedom to attend any of the classes at any time has been a great benefit to me, on weeks where relaxation is a must I find myself taking more level 1 and restorative classes, during weeks when I'm full of energy and want to push myself I go for the Ashtanga and level 2 classes.  

The truth of the matter is, no matter how great it feels to Yoga it up one can get bored and burned out by taking the same classes, therefore, mix it up, what does your body and mind tell you it needs today?

Not everyone for Yoga

I immediately developed an appreciation and a love for Yoga upon my first class, and though it is true that Yoga has picked up quite a few followers in the past couple of years and classes seem to overflow with students I seem to meet more individuals who say Yoga is not for them.

Eager to share my interest I took both my sister and my brother to a level one class.  My brother who is an avid bicyclist and a devoted Christian seemed to like the class in the physical sense, he was able to appreciate the stretches that are often urged of bicyclists.  My sister a devoted mother to two boys and occasional turbo-boxer at the gym understood Yoga less.  To those new to Yoga or perhaps not properly introduced are put off by the slow-pace of the class and don't seem to understand the nature of the practice, 'why is the entire class about stretching?'  Is most likely the question from every new student.

Needless to say, my brother and my sister never returned to take classes.  They have grown accustomed to a fast-pace exercise where the ultimate results are burning carbohydrates and weighing less on the scale, and so, it is that Yoga is not for them.. Yoga is not for everyone.  And that's okay.

So, should you attend your first Yoga class and find that you're not quite sure, go back for a second and perhaps a third only to feel the same, then perhaps Yoga is not for you, and that's okay, because Yoga is not for everyone.

What is Yoga?

Now that we have properly defined Yoga, what is Yoga?

I came to ask myself this question quite recently, and perhaps it is the reason why I began my search of a deeper understanding of Yoga by creating this blog, Intricacies of Yoga.  A month into my Yoga classes and I'm a dedicated student attending classes at least three times a week.  No matter which Yoga class I am attending it all begins the same...

Sitting down, legs crossed, palms pressed together at the front of the chest as if in prayer, there is a moment of quiet, sometimes the Yogi (instructor) will say a word or two sometimes not, there follows a song or three 'Ohms' in which the students may follow if comfortable.  Then class begins and a succession of postures are performed with detailed instructions by the Yogi.

In these classes I can see what is repeatedly emphasized:  relaxation, breath and correct alignment.  In certain classes I can see that the Yogi is trying to explain the importance of a peaceful state of mind.  And I ask myself, what is the whole goal of Yoga?

One thing to me is very clear, and that is that Yoga is more than just a fitness routine.  I go to my classes and I do well to perform the postures correctly and to be relaxed, but I feel that there is something missing from it, the knowledge of what it is and what can be obtained- this is the answer that I seek, for what then is the repeated emphasis on relaxation, breath, peaceful state of mind and postures that do more to make you limber than burn away the pound of butter you ate, all for?

So I ask, what is Yoga?

*swamij.com

While in the modern world Yoga is easily seen to many as a physical regimen, Yoga is actually quite different in the traditional sense.  In the traditional understanding of Yoga, the goal of Yoga is Yoga itself, a union of the little self and the True Self, a process of awakening to this 'union' is called Yoga.

There are many levels to conquer before achieving Yoga, the student trains all level of the being:  relationships, self-exploration, senses, body, breath and mind - none of these however are the goal of Yoga but it is through training in these areas that the student may learn to achieve Yoga.

Relationships - building a better, non-violence, non-possessive, non-stealing, truthfulness relationship with the world.

Senses - the student trains the senses to be able to consciously regulate them in positive ways.

Body - the student works with the body for flexibility, strength and steadiness.

Breath - the student trains the breath to make it smooth, slow and serene.

Mind - the student deals with the mind at all levels.

Once the above obstacles cease to be obstacles through the student's training (hence they are emphasized in practice) the realization of the Self, Truth or Reality that is being sought is uncovered.  Thus the process by which a student obtains the Self, Truth or Reality resulting in the union of the self and the Ultimate Principle is Yoga, however this union is also called Yoga.

Definition of Yoga

It only seems right to begin with the definition of Yoga as a way to start off on the correct foot.


Here Yoga is described in three ways *Dictionary.com

1.  A school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle.

2.  Any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, especially a series of postures (asanas) and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquility, etc.

3.  Union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle (this union is called Yoga, thus the goal of Yoga is Yoga)

My first Yoga class

I had taken exactly two Yoga classes prior to taking a Yoga class at a Yoga studio.  The very first time I took a Yoga class was at 24 Hour Fitness gym in Los Angeles, the second time I took a Yoga class was at an Equinox gym in San Francisco- the latter was better than the first but it wasn't quite at all like taking a Yoga class in a Yoga studio, and so my first Yoga class in a Yoga studio was very different, unexpectedly different... I loved it, this was for me- I knew this after my first class.

Living in a city such as Los Angeles where life is always busy inside you, with you and around you I found it challenging to keep mentally and physically with the slow-pace of Yoga, but I am a very good listener and I follow instructions rather well, the instructor said in the quiet of the class as her calm and soothing voice reverberated slightly in the large wood-floored studio,

"deep long breaths"

I took deep long breaths, inhale - exhale.

"relax your face, your jaw"

I relaxed my face and my jaw.

"just let go, your in a safe space now, it's ok, there's no need to hang on any longer"

And I let go.

After a hour and half of deep stretching and breathing I exited the class feeling surprisingly renewed, refreshed and feeling exceedingly good.  I felt limber and most of all, relaxed, a relaxation I'm not used to feeling- I suppose I have forgotten what it feels like to be relaxed.  I bicycled home that day in high spirits and knew right away that Yoga was for me.